Home - Archive Index - July Trestleboard July 2002 From The East I just returned from a day at the Fremont Fair and I would have to say our presence there was noticed. The booth we shared with Daylight Lodge was adjacent to the music stage that Daylight sponsored. Every two hours a new band played and it pumped hundreds of people down to our booth. I gave away most of my new business cards on Sunday, and David Israel did equally well on Saturday. I think it would be hard to find a better public venue to get the word out about Masonry. Next year, perhaps we can be a co-sponsor of the band stage as well. Even select members of Grand Lodge were in attendance (good to see you Sat). June's Grand Lodge meeting in Spokane included many noteworthy items. The future plans of the Masonic Retirement Center (MRC) were unveiled and I think this should be of interest to all of us. The vision is to make the MRC an attractive place to draw people for retirement, and not just a place of last resort. Another item pertinent to our Lodge was the discussion of Lodge mergers. Grand Historian Charles Davis outlined the measures of a successful merger. Important attributes are that both Lodges are represented in the officer line and that the traditions of both Lodges are incorporated in the merger. While I was listening to this talk it felt good to see Chuck Brockway (formerly Ionic) was sitting behind me and Bruno Zittlau (formerly Elliott Bay) sitting beside me. Elliot Bay Lodge members were known for their crazy dress-up nights, and our recent "bad tie" night in May was in deference to them. Fittingly, Bruno won the contest and I was finally able to pay Bruno his wages over lunch in Spokane. I hope we are succeeding in making all these Brothers feel welcome in our Lodge. We also saw a preview of the new Entered Apprentice video lecture. I do not think, however, that this was the latest version with the voiceover of Ernest Borgnine. We have a particularly educational and Masonic program arranged for Herb's night on July 10th. This is the meeting where we traditionally welcome back our snowbirds with a Hawaiian-themed dinner. The meeting is open so that everyone can bring their families. We are borrowing heavily from a Sister Lodge (Queen Anne) who came up with this unique idea of blending a commentary on Brother Mozart, along with a performance of the same. The Seattle Youth Symphony is a charity which we support and a quartet composed of some of its members will perform for us this night. Please take advantage of this special opportunity to see a great performance. Aloha! Skip Albertson, Master "Magic Flute" Performance to Entertain Wives and Friends at St. John's July 10 Communication Grab your Lady and come on out to our 4th annual "Herb's Night," Wednesday, July 10. In recent years, the July Stated Communication has always been a special time for members of St. John's Lodge No. 9. Billed as "Herb's Night" to reflect our true desire to bring back members who do not often get out to Lodge, it is a time to recognize our 50-year members, share in fellowship with our wives and friends, and provided quality entertainment and Masonic education in a full evening of fun and friendship. This year promises to top them all. In a true rip-off (and a tip of the hat to Queen Anne Master Jon Sewell), the Chrysanthemum String Quartet will perform selections of The Magic Flute by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Bro. Eric Vogt will provide an educational interpretation of the esoteric symbolisms of the opera. Dr. Vogt is an Associate Professor of Medieval, Renaissance & Baroque Spanish Literature. Vocalist will be Ron Scheyer. Mozart the Mason Bro. Mozart was a member of the Fraternity, and wrote many compositions based on the themes of Masonry, including one of his last pieces in a dedication ceremony for his Lodge. Wolfgang Mozart was born in Salzburg, 27 January 1756 and died in Vienna, 5 December 1791. The Magic Flute was written in 1791. In 1786 he wrote the first of his three comic operas, Le nozze di Figaro, followed by Don Giovanni (1787) and Cosi fan tutte (1790) With its elements of ritual and allegory about human harmony and enlightenment, Die Zauberflöte (1791) transcends the world of the Viennese popular theatre from which it springs. Mozart was buried in a Vienna suburb, with little ceremony and in an unmarked grave, in accordance with prevailing custom. Herb's Night will be preceded by dinner in the main dining room of the Scottish Rite Center at 6pm. The ladies are invited to join us for dinner and to share in the evening's activities. Dress is "casual," or "Hawaiian." Only the "bare necessities" of Lodge will be conducted prior to their joining us for the evening. In order to get a good "guess" on the number attending, we ask those who will be bringing guests, or who rarely attend our dinners, to please call the Lodge at (206) 623-0261. "Herb Night" was created to honor our members who we seldom have the opportunity to meet, and was named after one of our "snow birds" who lived nine months of the year in Hawaii and only three (summer) months on Mercer Island. For that reason, we will also dress less formally on that evening, and encourage all our brothers to dress in Hawaiian shirts or other casual attire. Master Mason Open Air Degree Starts With Breakfast In Granite Falls The Open Air Degree 2002 is being performed by the members of District 32, August 3, at the Masonic Park east of Granite Falls. All Master Masons wanting to see the work done with a couple of twists, are invited to be present for a day of fun and fellowship. Members of the family will also enjoy the pristine camping and recreational facility situated along Canyon Creek. Breakfast will be available the morning of the degree in downtown Granite Falls at the Damascus Masonic Temple. Lodge will open for the degree at Granite Falls at 10am. Past Master Ken Lane Jr. Receives Grand Lodge Appointment W Bro. Ken Lane, Jr. (2000) has been appointed Grand Standard Bearer by our new Grand Master, MWBro. James Reid. This is both an honor to WBro. Lane as well as recognition to our active Lodge. VW Bro. Gale Kenney has been appointed to serve as Deputy of the Grand Master in District No. 5. He replaces Past Master David Campbell (1992) who has completed two outstanding years in that capacity. W Bro. Ken Lane Jr. Grand Master Reid will visit our Lodge on the occasion of our October 2 Communication. Dates of interest July 10 (6pm) 7:30pm: St. John's 9 (dinner) Stated Herb's Night Magic Flute July 17 (7pm): Officers Meeting (site TBA) July 24 (4pm): St. John's Lodge No. 9 Trustees Meeting (College Club) August 7 (6pm) 7:30pm: St. John's 9 (dinner) Stated Scholarship Night August 17: St. John's picnic at the Nile August 21 (7pm): MM Joint Degree Practice August 24 (8:30am): MM Joint Degree September 4 (6pm) 7:30pm: St. John's 9 (dinner) Stated September 14: St. John's 142nd Anniversary Dinner (Seattle Design Center) Annual Family Picnic at Nile Slated for Saturday, August 17 Mark your calendars, invite your friends and especially those who might be good candidates for Masonry and come to our annual St. John's Lodge No. 9 Family Picnic, Saturday, August 17. As in the past years, our picnic will be held at the Nile Temple picnic grounds, area "A." The Lodge will furnish the steaks, hot dogs and buns. You need only to bring a choice of one of the following: hot or cold vegetable, salad, dessert. And, oh, yeah, your appetite! See next issue of the Trestleboard for further details. Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away. On line and ready for the twenty-first century www.seattlemasons.org home Website ©2002 - St. John's Lodge No. 9 F&AM of Washington - All Rights Reserved